TNT ‘Tales From the Crypt’ Crowdsourcing Stories From Fan Writers

It’s oft been said of erstwhile breakout director M. Night Shyamalan that the filmmaker had run out of ideas, but his new TNT Tales From the Crypt may never have that problem. The new series has partnered with Wattpad to crowdsource stories and horror trends, even recruiting writers directly to work on the series.

Per The Wall Street Journal, the partnership between Wattpad and TNT parent Turner will “use data from the story-sharing site to identify horror subjects and subgenres that are bubbling up, and in some cases scoop up specific writings from Wattpad contributors for use in ‘Tales from the Crypt.’” Writers of chosen concepts will “take part financially,” while Wattpad boss Aron Levitz notes:

This is about finding really great stories with that attached fanbase, or writers who can create something new. It’s not just promotional.

Greenlit for 10 episodes to air in 2017, the new Tales from the Crypt anthology series will anchor a horror block alongside seasonal anthology Time of Death and new series Creatures. The series will also feature a “ newly reinvented Crypt Keeper,” says Shyamalan.